Printing-press.



' T P-ATENTED 00". 23, 1906 J F. AMES.

PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION PILEDI'EB. 21,1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1'.

Inwentor P'ATENTED OCT. 23, 1906.

5 snsnws-snnm 2.

1.3. AM ES. PRINTING PRESS. APPLIOATION FILED FEB} 21, 1905.

PIG/guesses? J; F. AME'S'.

PATENTED OCT. 23, 1906.

PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.21. 1905.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

/ Minessesw- NoI'ssgsos. v. v PATENTED 0015.23, 1906.

J.F."AMES.

PRINTING PRESS. APPLIOATIQX FILED FEB.21,1905.

' ESHEETS-SHEET4.

No. 833,908i PATENTLD 001*. 23, 1906.- J. 1?. AMES.

PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.21,1905.

' 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5,

' Witnesses 5 J22. Wentw,"

UNITED STATES,

PATENToFFmE.

JOHN F. AMES, OF' PORTLAND, OREGON.

PRINTING-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 23, 1906.

Application filed February 21. 1905. Serial No. 246,733.

ments in Printing-Presses, of which t e following is a specification.

My invention relates to printing-presses, and especially to multicolor cylinder-presses for rintin on fabric, wood, metal, or other sur aces. ts object is to provide a press in which a single printin -cylm'der Will apply to a fabric or other sur ace a plurality of different colors simultaneously and in which press the several inking mechanisms or units may be operated singly or collectively with the rinting-cylinder according as it is desire to print in one, two, or more colors, and, furthermore, to provide a means of suitably feeding the material to the form-cylinder to prevent smudge, and, furthermore, to-provide means for readily adapting the feed of the I press to bags, sheets, and the like of different sizes and to brands of different sizes, and, finally, to providea press which is easily convertible from a press to print on fabric and like soft-surface material to one which is piually well adapted to print on boards and e hard surfaces. I The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts, as

hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawin s, in whichigure 1 is a side elevation of my rintingress viewed from the bottom of Fig. 4.. ig. 2 is a sectional view on line 00 m, Fig. 4.. Fig. 3 isa side elevation of the press viewed from the-top of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a plan of the prplss Fig. 5 is a perspective of the inkingro er.

pad. Fig. -7 is a side elevation of thepress modified for printing boxes. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the lever mechanism. for

operatin the fountain-rollers, omitting the pawls. ig. 9 is a similar view ofthe mechanism foroperating the oscillating rollers.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 I have shown the ress as particularly adapted to printing on abric for use in the manufacture of bags, the fabric being wound on a roll, fed throu h the press, printed at regular intervals, an after eing printed delivered for subsequent dividing into various lengths. A represents a suitable frame, 2 the form-cylinder, carrying Fig. 6 is a perspective of the inking-.

the type and characters by which an impres sion is transferred to the surfaces of the fabric to be printed on, and 3 the impressioncylinder, between which and the form-cylinder the said fabric is adapted to be passed in orderto receive the impression. The form- .cylinder carries all the printing matter it is cylinder are a plurality of ink-ap lying mechanisms or units by which any esired number of colors may be a plied to the printingsurface on the form-0y inder, and these printpendently or coordinately, according as it is desired to print in one or more colors. Each inking mechanism or inking unit, as I choose to term it, since each is complete in itself, comprises an inking-roller 4-, a distributing-roller 5, a vibrating or reciprocatin roller 6, a second distributin -roller 7, an osci lating roller 8, a fountain-r0 er 9, and the fountain 10. The inking-roller 4 and roller 5 may be positively driven in unison by the engagement of the res ective gears 11 12, and the several inking-r0 ers are operated positively and coordinately with the form-cylinder by the interengagement of the gear 13 on the latter with the gears 1.1. One of these inking units, as the central u per one, may be permanently carried by the bed-frame, as shown;'but the others are preferably mounted on individual carriages 14, which are slidable and adjustable to and from the form-cylinder on the guide-tracks 15. Thus the three units, each applying a different color to a different area on the ,foi'm, may be operated in unison and simultaneously, or the adjustable unit on one form and moved back where only two colors are needed, or both of the carria es 14,1 nay be shifted, so as to carry the in 'ng-rollers upon thepress will print'in only one color. To facilitate the separation ofthe inking units from the printing-plate or form c'ylinder, the means for operating the oscillating rolls 8 and fountain-rolls are made easily detachable from the main frame and from the central and driving mechanism. I

As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 2, 8, and 9, the shaft 16,0n which the form-cylinder is mounted,- carries a cam 17, which successivelyengages ing connecting-rods 20 21. Rod 20 connects with a lever 22, shown as preferablylifuling mechanisms are operatable either indedesired to print. Associated with the formside of the form may be uncoupled from the out of contact with the form-cylinder, whererespective rollers 18 19 on the vertically-slidshown as comprising a. pawl 24 on the lever directly engaging the adjacent fountain-roll ratchet on the central or stationary unit and as detachable connecting-rods 25, pivoted to the lever 22 and to an oscill..ting part 26 on the carriages 14, and the pewls' 27 carried by the part 26 engaging corresponding fount: inroll ratchets 23 on the movable units. The sliding rod 21 actuates the oscillating rolls 8 at each revolution of the form-cylinder through the following simple and detachable connections: The rod 21 connects with a.

bell-crank lever 28, Fig. 9, keyed on the rockshaft 29. The oscillating rolls of the central stationary unit are journaled at one end on the lever 28 and at the other end on a corresponding arm or projection on the shaft 29, sothat both, ends of the roll are carried back and forth in unison ,oh the rocking of the shaft 29 through the medium of, the cam 17 and roller 19. Shaft 29 also carries pro'ections 30, each of which latter is connecte by,

a detachable rod 31 with one or the other of the oscillating frames 32, which support the rolls 8 on the movable inking units.

In the operation of the rolls 8 9 the latter are set in motion through the medium of the cam 17 rod 20, and. its described connec tions, and whilethese rolls are turning the oscillating rolls are thrown forward into frictional contact with them, so that for brief instant both the fountain-rolls and oscillating rolls turn in unison, thus insuring the latter picking up a sufficient quantity of ink. On the cam 17 leaving rollers 18 19 the rods 20 21 drop by gravity, causing the fountain-roll's to cease turning and the oscillating rolls to drop back into l'rictionel conte ct'with the constantly-revolving vibrating rolls 6, whence the ink is suitably distributed to the inking-surface on the inking-rolls 4. A simple and novel means of reciprocating the vibrating rolls is provi: :ed in the employment of the remove ble collars 33 on the ends of the vibratin -roll shaft and providing these collars wit cam-surfaces to cooperate with corresponding cam surfaces 34 on the.

side of the frame or inking-unit carriage, these cam-collars 33 and cams 34 being so pos tioned that as a roll 18 revolved it is constantlypshifting its position lengthwise or made to vibrate in the desired manner. To

render the rods 31 detachable from the central inking unit, they are here shown as having curved and forked or slotted ends 35 to engsge over pins on their respective levers 22 30, Figs. 1 and 3. By throwing these rods upward and b...ck :ll connection except the genr connections 13 11 between the inkingunits and the form-cylinder is severed, and it only requires it loosening of the clumps on one or the other, or both, of the carri;.ges 14 end tr...cks 15 to allow either,'or both, of the :pd'ustzble inking units to be thrown out of or brought into operation. This construction.

01 a press with inking units capable of operation either singly, in pzirs, or collectively is of the greatest benefit and utility in many forms of work, particularly where printing in a variety of colors is required and where the character of the printing is constantly changing, as in printing on-b: .gs and sacks or on cloth to be made into bags and sucks.

For instance, one customer will send in an order for ten thoustnd bags of a particular size, with a brand of e particula: size, design,

and color. Other customers will send in other orders for quantities of any amount,

all for different sizes of bags and different sizes, designs, and colors of brands. Each order requires adiflerent type-form to print with, corresponding change in the inkingsurface of the inkin -rollers, and the use of one, two, or mole co oIs. Furthermore, the orders of each customer may have to be duplicated from time to time. Hence it is that I have designed 2 press for all classes of work in which a single fo m-cylinder is adapted to carry all the printing matter, either in theform of stereotype or removable type, and with whicn may be used one or more entirely independent inking units, according whether one color or two or more different colors are to be applied to the form. If the brand is to be applied in one so id color, I employ only one inking unit, usually the central one. If two colors are to be applied, I couple up one of the movable units with the form-cylinder, and if three colors I employ the three units.

In the ap lication of the different-colored inks to the orm-cylinder I employ a remov- I able inkin -pad, as 37, Fig. 6, consistin 1 of canvas or t e like, on the surface of which as been molded a suitable body of elastic inktransferring composition, as indicated at 38. The rollers 4, Fig. 5, are hollow and have a longitudinalperipheral slit 39 into which one end of a pad is inserte' and suitably engaged with pins 40 in the roller. The otherend of the pad is passed around the roller and into the slit and en aged with pins on a rotatable shaft 41. T 1e latter carries a ratchet 42, locked by a pawl against unintentional turnin in one direction. By turning the shaft mthe ro er manner the pad is stretched and over the surface of the roller 4 to properly present the ink-transferring body 38 to the form when the parts are moved into operative engagement.

, Where the brand is to be printed in one "solid color, the inking unit employed will have a pad whose ink-transferring body 38 corresponds to the size of the form, but where two or more colors are to be applied to the form each pad will have an ink-transferring body of such shape and size as will apply ink to only a limited and proper area ofthe form.

i Theink-tran'sferring composition being soft and easily'cut it becomes a very simple matterto attach the pads to their rolls or holders, and-having inked the form move the rollers to engage the gears 11 13, (having these gears of course so marked that certain teeth will always be brought together,) make one revolution of the form-cylinder, move the inking-rolls back out of engagement with the form-cylinder, and then rout out'or cut away SllOh'POIlZiOIlSfOf the composition of each pad as that articular pad is not to print with. qWhen t e rolls are moved up again to and matchedwith the form-cylinder and locked, each pad will contact witha different and limited portion of type on the form and apply =ink thereto, according to the color of the ink carried in the fonts of the several operating units.

' By employing a removable ink pad and holder as described and having the several units independentlyadjustable to and fromthe form-cylinder it is possible to the same pads over and over again and to (la licate at any time any customers order. "he same press, the same form-eylinder, the same inking-rollers can be used to print an endless variety of brands in one or more colors on bags, or sacks of a great variety of sizes. For example, the same press with only the change of the inking-pads and a resetting of the form or change of the brand, will print a livepound salt-sack in three colors, or one-hundred-pound flour-sack in one, two, or three colors.

The form-cylinder is driven e(mtinuously and may be operated from any suitable source of power through shaft 43, carrying a small pinion 44, engaging the gear on the cylindcr-shaft 16. The impression-(2y!inder 3 is positively driven in unison with the formcylinder byrthe gear 13 on shaft 16 meshing gear 17 on the" imprcss'ioil-cylinder. The latter is covered with felt or other substance commonly employed for receiving the impress of the type, and this felt may be at-v tached to the roller in a manner similar to that described in connectionwitl'i the inkingcloth, if'it is'desired to print. on cloth, is-

pads and their, rollers, the impression cylinder being constructed accordingly. The

wound as a continuous strip in a roll and is fed from the roll between the cylinder carrying the printing-form and the impressionnect'ed by gears and move on the surface at equal speed, it will be seen that the revolution of the cylinders with the cloth between them when the printing-form contacts with the impression-cylinder would operate to move the cloth forward a distance equal to the width or length of the brand. It is not desirable, however, to rely on the intermittent contact of the two cylinders to advance the cloth through the press, since after each impress by the form, should the cloth be allowed to come to a standstill, there would be a smudge of ink at the beginning of each contact of the form and the cloth. Moreover, the cloth would likely be drawn forward unevenly and result in an uneven brand on the finished bag. Furthermore, such intermittent action of the cloth does not advance the cloth sufficiently between each imprint toallow for borders, cutting, seams, &c.,' of the imprinted bag-blanks which are subsequently severed from the strip. So in order to ad Vance the cloth sufficiently before and after each impression and overcome smudging I provide means to feed the cloth prior to and subsequent to each imprinting operation and at a unison speed with that of the formcylinder and by means independent of the frictional contact of the-form and impression cylinders.

()n opposite sides of the impression-cylinder 3 are the feed-rollers 4849, Fig. 2. Roller 48 is journaled in arms 50, locked to the rockshaft 51. Roller 49 is journaled in the arms 52, which are pivoted to arms 50 at 53. By means of set-screws 54 the two rollers are adjusted so as both to contact simultaneously with and with equal pressure on the impression-cylinder 3, the one roller to bear on the cloth before it passes beneath the type-form, the other to bear on the cloth after it has passed the-form and toaid in stripping the cloth from the form and prevent its following the form-cylinder around. These fced-roll- 'ers 48 49 are of sufficient weight that when they rest on the cloth which is supported on IIO the inmrcssion-cylinder the cloth will be fed I forward at the same rate of speed at which the form-cylinder revolves, since the latter and the inipression-cylinder turn in unison through the engagement of the gears 13 47, as described. This contact of the feed-rolls with the impression-cylinder is periodic and is regulated according to the width of the bag-blankfor small bags is less, while for large bags it is more'---and their contact with the impression-cylinder is such that the cloth is set in motion long enough ahead of the contact of the type-form with the cloth and is prolonged sulliciently after the type-form eaves the cloth to prevent smudgingand to advance'the cloth the required bagblank distance. This intermittent contact of the feed-rollers with the impression-cylinder to so feed the cloth as thus desiredis effected through the medium of an adjustable and expansible cam 55 on shaft 16 periodically engaging a roller 56 on an arm '57, keyed to rock-shaft 51. Roller 56 is pressed always into the ,path of the cam through the agency of spring 58. i

(Jam 55 is important, since it is circumferentially extendible or contractible-by reason of the pivoted concentric sectors composing it, to offer a more or less extended contactsurface to roller 56. The several sectors are slotted, as at 59, and are adapted to be locked in suitable mutual relation by the lock screws or bolts 60. The size of the cam is commensurate With the maximum and minimum sizes of the different bags to be rinted. In actual practice I have adapte a press to print a continuous length of cloth to be cut into individual blanks for small salt-sacks and also to print, with the utmost precision, a strip to be subdivided after printing into blanks for fifty-pound flour-sacks. By opening out the cam-sectors the period of contact with roller 56 is prolonged to cause the feed rollers to remain out of contact a corresponding length of time with the constantly-revolving impression-cylinder. By closing u the cam-sectors the operation of the fee rollers is lengthened, and hence a greater uantity of cloth is run through the ress during and between each revolution 0 the form-cylinder. Obviously I with. the press running. at a constant rate of speed theeriod that the cloth would remaln at rest etween each impression for a small bag would be greater than for a large bag. The lmprint is given by the form-cylinder at some time during the beginning and the end of the contact of the cam with the roller 56, although that is not so important as that the engagement of the form with the cloth should be subsequent to the starting in motion of the cloth, so as to prevent smudge, as before stated. In order to roperly direct the cloth strip between the rol and to the printing-form, the arms 50 are connected at the rear by a cross-bar 61, having a series of holes 62 for the receipt of the guide-pins 63, which can be separated more or less or shifted from side to side, according to the width of the strip and the relative lo cation of the brand on the form-cylinder.

A great advantage of a press of this construction is that it is easily convertible from a press for color-printing on a continuous roll of cloth, paper, or like flexible material to one for printing in one or more colors on boards or boxes and like hard surfaces.

Fig. 7 shows the press equipped for hard or inflexible surface printing in which one inking unit and its sup orting-carriage ha been removed and the eed-table 64 substituted. pulle 65 occupies the position of the cam 55, an the driving connections between the form-cylinder and the impressioncylinder are, through the. belt 66, passin over pulley 65, the two lower pulleys 67, an the pulley 68 on the impression-cylinder, in lieu of the positive gear connections 13 to 47 in the flexible-surface-printing machine. This flexible drive is for the purpose of allowing the impression-cylinder to accommodate itself readily to boards of different thickness or to those thicker along one side than the other, .the impression-cylinder havin its bearings adjustable vertically and sing supported, as shown at 69, to permit of this movement. Suitable means, not necessary here to be described, may be-employed to advance the material on the Ldbl!) to the cylinders. Such a feed mechanism and other features common to this particular press are shown in my former patent, Reissue No. 12,124, dated June 23, 1903.-

The main feature of this ress as a boxprinting press is its adaptability to the printing in one or more colors rendered possible and practicable by the shiftable printing unit mounted on its tracks 15 and its detachable connections with the remaining printing unit all as described in the first instance.

It is possible that Various changes and modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the rinciple thereof, and I do not wish to be un erstood as limiting myself to the specific construction nor the 1 specific uses herein described.

Having thus'described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a printing-press the combination with a form-cylinder andthe shaft thereof, of

a plurality of inking units arranged circumferentially about said form-cylinder, and separable connections between the several units and between the units and the shaft for operating said inking units singly, in pairs, or collectively i 2. In a printing-press, the' combination with a form-cylinder, of a plurality of independently-operable inking units and separa- ICC ble connections between the several units,

said units independently adjiistable with relation to the form-cylinder;

3. In a printing-press, the combination with a form-c linder, of a plurality of inkingrollers, each iaving an independent ink ap plying device, means for operating said re 1- ers independently orcoordinately'and se arably-connected hinged rods between t e several ink-applyingdevices for operating the latter.

4. In a printing-press, thecombination with a form-cylinder and the shaft thereof, of a plurality of inking-rollers, a sliding carriage for one of said inking-rollers, inkapplying devices on said carriage for said ro ler, means for operating the form-cylinder, the inking-rollers and the said ink-applying devices conjunctively, said means for operating the ink-applying devices including separable connections with the form-cylinder shaft.

5. In a printing-press, the -'combination with a form-cylinder, of a plurality of movable inking units independently adjustable with relation to the form-cylinder, each unit comprising an inking-roller and ink-applyin g devices, separable connections between the said ink-applying devices of the several units for operating them in unison, and means whereby one or more of said inking units may be moved into r out of operative position with the form-cylinder. 1 l 6. In a printing-press, the combination with a form-c linder, of a plurality of inkingrollers, each aving independent ink-apply ing devices, said ink-applying devices including an oscillating roller and a fountain-roller,

separable connections between the said oscillating and fountain rollers of the several inkapplying devices, certain of said'inking-rollers being movable into and out of engagement with the form-cylinder.

lating roller of each inking unit.

8. In a printing-press, the combination with an inking-roller, of a distributing-roller contacting therewith, a vibrating-roller en gaging said distributingrroller, said vibrating roller having cam-collars on the ends of its shaft, stationary cams intermediate of said collars and positioned relative thereto whereby the roller is reciprocated longitudinally at each revolution, a second distributing-roller in contact with the vibrating roller, an oscillating roller and a fountain-roller, and means i for operating the scveralrollers.

9. A printing-press haning in combination a form-cylinder, a shaft therefor, a pluralitiy of inde ende tly-operable and indepen ently-a justa le inking units, said units eacb comprising an inking-roller and ink-appl 'ng' rollers therefor, said ink-applying r0 lers including an oscillating roller and a fountam-roller opeiatably associated with an inking-roller, a cam on the form-cylinder shaft, two cam-levers operable by said cam, and

separable connections between the cam-levers and the fountain-roller and oscillating roller of each inking unit.

10. In a printing-press, the combination with the fwm-cylinder of two inking units having each an inking-roller, afountainroller, an oscillating roller and a distributingroller, a movable carriage for one of said units to permit its movement into and out of engagement with the formcylinder, and separable connections between the fountainrollers of the two units, and means operated by said connections for giving said fountainrollers a rota-tive movement.

11. In a printingress, the combination with. the form-cylin er of two inking units having each an inkingroller, a fountainroller, an oscillating roller and a distributingroller, a movable carriage for one of said units to permit its movement into and out of engagement with the form-cylinder, separable connections between the oscillating rollers of the two units, and means for operating said I rollers from the cylindenshaft.

12. In a rinting-press, the combination of a form -cy -inder, a plurality of independently-movable inking units circumferentially positioned relative to the form-cylinder and o erative singly or collectively, said units inc uding each an inking-roller, distributing rollers and fountain-roller, an oscillating roller operable between the fountain and distributing rollers, s'e arable connections between the oscillating ro lersof the several units and independent of the cylinder, and means for imparting motion to the said oscillating rollers. 13. In a printing-press, the combination of a form-cylinder and its shaft, a carriage movable to and from said cylinder, an inking unit carried b I said carriage and com rising an inking-r0 ler and ink-ap lying ro lers, said ink-applying rollers inc uding a fountainroller and an oscillating roller, means operated from the cylinder-shaft to give the fountain-roller a step-by-step movement, and

other means operated from said oylindershaft to operate the oscillating roller.

14. In a printing-press,the combination of a form-cylinder and its shaft, a carriage movable'to and from said cylinder, an inking unit carried b said carriage and comprising aninking-rofler and ink-ap lying ro lers, said ink-applying rollers inc uding a fountainroller and an oscillating roller, detachable means o erated from the cylind'er s'haft to give the ountain-roller a'step-by-step movement, and detachable means 0 erated from the cylinder-shaft to operate t e oscillating roller. 1

15. In a printing-press, the combination with a form-cylinder and its shaft, of a pluralit of independently-adjustable and inde-' pen entl operable inking units, said units each inc uding an oscillating roller and a fountain-roller, a cam on the form-cylinder shaft, levers operable by said cam, detachable connections between one of said levers able-connections between the other lever and the several oscillating rollers. v

16. In a printing )re'ss, the combination of a form-cylinder an its shaft, and an inking 1 2 5 and the several fountain-rollers, and detachu 7! a s mechanism for said form-cylinder, said inklng inechanism noluding an inking-roller, a

' fountain-roller and oscillating roller, said inking-roller consisting of a longitudinallyslotted hollow cylinder and a removable inking-pad stretched over the cylinder with its ends passed through the slot and secured within the cylinder, and operative connections between the oscillating and fountain rollers and the form-cylinder shaft independ ent of the inking-roller.

17. In a rinting-press, the/combination of a frame, a Orin-cylinder thereon, a form-cylinder shaft, said frame provided with trackway extensions, a carriage slidable on said trackway extensions, an inking-roller and inking appliances inounted'on said carriage, said inking-roller comprising a hollow longitudinally-slotted cylinder and a removable pad stretched over said cylinder and having its ends passing through the slot in the cylinder and engaged with stretching devices within the cylinder, said pad having a suitable inking composition on its face, said ink-a iplying devices including fountain and oscillating rollers and separable exposed snrconnections independent of the inkingfioller between said fountain and oscillating rollers and the form-cylinder shaft for operating said two last-named rollers. I

18. The combination with a single formcylinder of a plurality of movable inking units, each unit including an oscillating and vibrating roller, said oscillating rollers of the sev eral units separably connected with each other and independent of the cylinder and said units independently movable in and out of operative position with the form-cylinder.

19'. The combination of a form-cylinder with a plurality of inking units separably connected with each other, a single cam on formcylinder shaft, and a cam-lever, the separable connections between each unit being operated by the cam-lever actuated by said cam.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN F. AMES.

l/Vitnesses S. H. NouRsE, JESSIE C. BRODIE.

indepen d on tly- 

